Method of Operating a Semiconductor Device Having a Desaturation Channel Structure

ABSTRACT

A method is provided for operating a semiconductor device which includes an IGBT having a desaturation semiconductor structure connected to a first electrode terminal and a gate electrode terminal for controlling a desaturation channel. The method includes: applying a first gate voltage to the gate electrode terminal so that current flows through the IGBT between the first electrode terminal and a second electrode terminal and current flow through the desaturation channel is substantially blocked; applying a different second gate voltage to the gate electrode terminal so that current flows through the IGBT between the first and second electrode terminals and charge carriers flow as a desaturating current through the desaturation channel to the first electrode terminal; and applying a different third gate voltage to the gate electrode terminal so that current flow through the IGBT between the first and second electrode terminals is substantially blocked.

TECHNICAL FIELD

Embodiments described herein relate to semiconductor devices comprisingan IGBT cell and methods for operating and manufacturing suchsemiconductor devices, and particularly some embodiments relate to powersemiconductor devices with trench IGBT cells.

BACKGROUND

An insulated-gate bipolar transistor, hereinafter referred to as IGBT,is a three-terminal semiconductor device primarily used as an electronicswitch and may combine high efficiency and fast switching. The IGBT mayswitch electric power in many applications, e.g., appliances such aselectric cars, trains, variable speed refrigerators, air-conditionersand many more.

The IGBT combines the gate-drive characteristics of a MOSFET with thehigh-current and low-saturation-voltage capability of bipolartransistors by combining, in a single device, an isolated gate fieldeffect transistor (FET) for the control input and a bipolar powertransistor for switching.

The IGBT can exhibit power loss in the on-state and during switching.For instance, minority carriers (holes) may take time to recombine or toleave the device, resulting in longer switching times and higherswitching loss. Increasing the external gate resistance to avoid steepflanks of the switching characteristic can further delay this process.The static losses in the on-state may be reduced by increasing theelectron-hole concentration (plasma concentration) in the device. This,however, leads to a further increase of the dynamic losses due to theabove-described effect, and there is a trade-off between static anddynamic losses.

Therefore, there is a need for improved semiconductor devices andimproved methods relating to the operation and manufacture ofsemiconductor devices, wherein the switching losses are reduced withoutsignificantly increasing the static losses.

SUMMARY

According to one embodiment, a semiconductor device is provided. Thesemiconductor device includes a first IGBT cell including a second-typedoped drift zone. The semiconductor device also includes a desaturationsemiconductor structure for desaturating a charge carrier concentrationin the first IGBT cell. The desaturation semiconductor structureincludes a first-type doped region forming a pn-junction with the driftzone. The desaturation semiconductor structure further includes twoportions of a trench or two trenches arranged in the first-type dopedregion and arranged beside the first IGBT cell in a lateral direction.Each of the two trench portions or each of the two trenches has a widepart below a narrow part. The wide parts of the two trench portions orof the two trenches confine a first-type doped desaturation channelregion of the first-type doped region at least in the lateral direction.The narrow parts of the two trench portions or of the two trenchesconfine a first-type doped mesa region of the first-type doped region atleast in the lateral direction. The desaturation channel region has awidth smaller than the mesa region in the lateral direction. Thedesaturation channel region and the mesa region adjoin each other.

According to another embodiment, a method of operating a semiconductordevice is provided. The semiconductor device includes a first electrodeterminal, a second electrode terminal, a gate electrode terminal, and afirst IGBT cell including a gate electrode, a first electrode, a secondelectrode and a drift region. The gate electrode is connected to thegate electrode terminal, the first electrode is connected to the firstelectrode terminal, and the second electrode is connected to the secondelectrode terminal. The semiconductor device further includes adesaturation semiconductor structure including a desaturation channel. Afirst portion of the desaturation semiconductor structure is connectedto the first electrode terminal. A second portion of the desaturationsemiconductor structure is connected to the gate electrode terminal forcontrolling the desaturation channel. The method includes applying agate voltage with a first value to the gate electrode terminal, whereina current flows through the first IGBT cell between the first electrodeterminal and the second electrode terminal and wherein a current flowthrough the desaturation channel is substantially blocked. The methodfurther includes applying the gate voltage with a second value to thegate electrode terminal. The absolute value of the second value is lowerthan the absolute value of the first value. Therein, a current flowsthrough the first IGBT cell between the first electrode terminal and thesecond electrode terminal and charge carriers flow as a desaturatingcurrent from the drift region of the first IGBT cell through thedesaturation channel of the desaturation semiconductor structure to thefirst electrode terminal. The method further includes applying the gatevoltage with a third value to the gate electrode terminal. The absolutevalue of the third value is lower than the respective absolute values ofthe first and second values. Therein, a current flow through the firstIGBT cell between the first electrode terminal and the second electrodeterminal is substantially blocked.

According to a further embodiment, a method of forming a bottleneck-typetrench structure of a semiconductor device is provided. The methodincludes forming a trench in a semiconductor layer of the semiconductordevice. The trench has lateral sides and a bottom side. The methodincludes introducing a dopant into the bottom side, heating thesemiconductor device to diffuse the dopant into a diffusion region, andselectively etching the diffusion region to form the bottleneck-typetrench structure.

Further aspects, advantages and features of the present invention areapparent from the dependent claims, the description and the accompanyingdrawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The components in the figures are not necessarily to scale, insteademphasis being placed upon illustrating the principles of the invention.Moreover, in the figures, like reference numerals designatecorresponding parts. In the drawings:

FIG. 1 shows a semiconductor device including IGBT cells;

FIGS. 2 and 3 show a semiconductor device including a desaturationchannel structure according to embodiments described herein;

FIGS. 4 and 5 illustrate a method of operating a semiconductor deviceaccording to embodiments described herein;

FIG. 6 shows a semiconductor device including a desaturation channelstructure according to embodiments described herein;

FIGS. 7 to 12 show top views of layouts of a semiconductor deviceaccording to embodiments described herein;

FIGS. 13 to 18 illustrate a manufacturing method of a bottleneck-typetrench structure of a semiconductor device according to embodimentsdescribed herein.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Reference will now be made in detail to various embodiments, one or moreexamples of which are illustrated in each figure. Each example isprovided by way of explanation and is not meant as a limitation. Forexample, features illustrated or described as part of one embodiment canbe used on or in conjunction with other embodiments to yield yet furtherembodiments. It is intended that the present disclosure includes suchmodifications and variations.

Because components of embodiments can be positioned in a number ofdifferent orientations, the directional terminology is used for purposeof illustration and is in no way limiting. It is to be understood thatother embodiments may be utilized and structural or logical changes maybe made without departing from the scope of the present invention. Thefollowing detailed description, therefore, is not to be taken in alimiting sense, and the scope of the present invention is defined by theappended claims. The embodiments being described use specific language,which should not be construed as limiting the scope of the appendedclaims. The embodiments can be combined unless noted otherwise. Thedrawings may not necessarily be drawn to scale.

For ease of understanding, an IGBT structure is often described withspecific doping types, e.g., an n-p-n-p structure, without intending anylimitation. The dopings could be reversed, i.e., an n-type doping couldbecome a p-type doping and vice versa. Where a “first-type doping” and a“second-type doping” is referred to, the first-type doping may be p-typedoping or n-type doping, and the second-type doping is to be understoodas the opposite doping, i.e., n-type if the first-type doping is p-type,and p-type if the first-type doping is n-type.

FIG. 1 shows a cross-section through a semiconductor device 1. Thesemiconductor device 1 includes a semiconductor block 10 which mayinclude one or more semiconductor layers. The semiconductor block mayinclude an epitaxial layer. The semiconductor device 1 includes a frontsurface or first main surface 11, which is the top surface in FIG. 1.

Any direction lying in the first main surface is called a lateraldirection. The direction perpendicular to the first main surface iscalled the vertical direction. In FIG. 1, the cross-section shows a cutalong one lateral direction through a section of the semiconductordevice.

The semiconductor device 1 includes a p-type doped semiconductor layer13, an n-type doped semiconductor layer 19, which can be, e.g., anepitaxially grown layer or layer formed by a float-zone Czochalskigrowth process. The outer surface of the p-type doped semiconductorlayer, i.e., the lower surface 12 in FIG. 1, forms a back surface of thesemiconductor block 10. The back surface or second main surface 12 issubstantially parallel to the first main surface 11. The back surface 12is in contact with a drain or collector metallization 15, which, inturn, is connected to a drain or collector electrode terminal 16.

An IGBT cell 2 is shown. The IGBT cell 2 includes a p-type doped drainregion 14, also known as a collector region, being a part of thesemiconductor layer 13. The IGBT cell further includes an n-type dopedregion being a part of the n-type doped semiconductor layer 19. A trenchstructure is formed in the n-type doped region of the IGBT cell 2. Thetrench structure includes two trenches 24 or two portions 24 of a singletrench. For instance, in a stripe geometry of the IGBT cell, there maybe two separate trenches 24, whereas the structures shown in thecross-section at reference signs 24 may be two trench portions of onetrench if this trench has, e.g., a rectangular or possibly polygonal,oval or circular layout in a top view on the first main surface 11. Thetrenches or trench portions 24 extend from the first main surface 11into the semiconductor layer 19, and have side surfaces at least in onelateral direction, and a bottom surface.

With respect to trenches or trench portions, the terms “below” or“deeper” shall signify that a first entity is closer to the trenchbottom relative to a second entity, and, conversely, this second entityis “above” or “higher” relative to the first entity. A bottom part of atrench or trench portion shall mean a part adjoining the bottom, and atop part shall mean a part adjoining the first main surface.

The trenches or trench portions 24 are filled, e.g., with a highly dopedpolysilicon material or other semiconductor material, forming a gateelectrode. This material is connected to a gate electrode terminal 27and is insulated by a gate oxide 25 from the semiconductor layer 19 andfrom a p-type doped body region 21 and n-type doped source/emitterregion 23 formed therein. In a stripe geometry, the trenches 24 confinethe body region and the source or emitter region 23 in the lateraldirection shown in FIG. 1. When structures 24 are portions of a singletrench, then these portions confine the body and source region also inat least one further lateral direction, e.g., in a directionperpendicular to the plane of drawing.

In FIG. 1, the source region 23 and body region 21 are connected to asource electrode terminal 28. Between the body region 21 and the drainregion 14 lies an n-type doped drift region 20 of the semiconductorlayer 19. The source region adjoins the body region, which adjoins thedrift region, which, in turn, adjoins the drain region 14, forming ann-p-n-p structure of an integrated gate bipolar transistor.

Semiconductor devices described herein, in particular a powersemiconductor device, typically include many IGBT cells. In FIG. 1, onefurther IGBT cell 3 is shown exemplarily, arranged laterally from theIGBT cell 2 in the lateral direction shown in FIG. 1.

The gate electrode 26 controls the formation of an inversion channel inthe body region 21, between the source region 23 and drift region 20, bya gate voltage applied to the gate electrode terminal 27. If the gatevoltage is applied with a value above a threshold value, the inversionchannel is established, and the device is in the on-state. If the gatevoltage is applied with a value below the threshold value, the deviceswitches into the off-state. During the switching process, switchinglosses can occur.

FIG. 2 shows a semiconductor device 100 according to an embodiment ofthe present invention. The semiconductor device includes an IGBT cell 2,which may be a trench IGBT cell as described with respect to FIG. 1. TheIGBT cell 2 includes a drift region 20.

The semiconductor device 100 further includes a desaturation channelstructure 4, also referred to herein as a desaturation cell. The spatialstructure of the desaturation channel structure 100 will be describedwith respect to FIGS. 2 and 3, and the operation of the desaturationchannel structure 100 will be described with respect to FIGS. 4 and 5.

As shown in FIG. 2, the desaturation channel structure 4 includes ap-type doped region 40 forming a pn-junction 41 with the drift region 20of the IGBT cell 2. A trench structure is formed in the p-type dopedregion 40, including two trenches 45 or two portions of one trench 45,depending on the geometry of the desaturation cell. The trench structureis arranged beside the IGBT cell 2 in the lateral direction A-A.

The trenches or trench portions 45 each have a wide part 420 and anarrow part 421, wherein the wide part of each trench or trench portionis arranged below the narrow part of each trench or trench portion. Thewide parts 420 are bottom parts and the narrow parts are top parts ofthe trenches/trench portions 45 in FIG. 2. The two wide parts 420 of therespective trenches/trench portions 45 confine or delimit a desaturationchannel region 43 of the first-type doped region 40 at least in thelateral direction A-A shown in FIG. 2. The two narrow parts 421 of therespective trenches/trench portions confine or delimit a mesa region 44of the first-type doped region 40 at least in the lateral direction A-Ashown in FIG. 2. The mesa region 44 does not include an n-type dopedregion in the embodiment shown in FIG. 2. The desaturation channelregion adjoins, i.e., is directly adjacent to the mesa region 44 and toan outer region 42 of the first-type doped region 40, the outer region42 extending outside of the trench structure. The desaturation channelregion is narrower than the mesa region 44 at least in the lateraldirection A-A.

The trenches/trench portions 45 are filled with a conductive material,e.g., a semiconductor material such as highly doped polysilicon, or acarbon material or a metal such as aluminum, copper or molybdenum,forming trench electrodes or a trench electrode connected to the gateelectrode terminal 27 and insulated from the p-type doped region 40 byan oxide layer or n-type doped layer 450. The mesa region 44 isconnected to the source electrode terminal 28.

The desaturation channel structure 4 is adapted to desaturate a chargecarrier concentration in the drift region 20 of the IGBT cell 2, inparticular a minority carrier concentration of holes, when the IGBT cellis in the process of switching off. The value of the gate voltageapplied to the trench electrode(s) controls whether the desaturationchannel in the desaturation channel region is open or closed. When it isopen, the charge carriers can then pass from the drift region 20 throughthe outer region 42, desaturation channel region 43 and mesa region 44to the source electrode terminal 28, forming a desaturation current.

This is schematically illustrated in FIG. 3, where the charge carrierconcentration is symbolically shown as a cloud 220. In FIG. 3, thep-type doped region 40 extends between the first IGBT cell 2 and asecond IGBT cell 3, also forming a pn-junction with the drift region ofthe second IGBT cell. The trench structure of the desaturation structure4 is arranged midway between the first and second IGBT cells 2 and 3 inthis embodiment. The desaturation channel structure 4 is adapted to alsodesaturate a charge carrier concentration in the drift region of thesecond IGBT cell 3 as schematically indicated in FIG. 3.

FIGS. 4 and 5 schematically illustrate how the opening or blocking ofthe desaturation channel 430 in the desaturation channel region 43 iscontrolled by the gate voltage applied to the gate electrode terminal27. The width of the desaturation channel region 43 in the lateraldirection where the wide parts of the trenches/trench portions 45confine the desaturation channel region, and the doping of thedesaturation channel region 43 are chosen such that the desaturationchannel region is depleted at the operating voltage of the IGBT cell(s),having, e.g., a value of +15 V between gate and source terminal. Adepletion region 50 around the trench electrode(s) 45 is shown in FIG.4. The depletion region 50 at the operating voltage of the IGBT cell(s)extends across the entire desaturation channel region 43 in FIG. 4,which is therefore non-conducting. The desaturation channel is blocked.

At a lower gate-to-source terminal voltage, the depletion zone 50shrinks, at least a part of the desaturation channel region connectingthe outer region and the mesa region becomes conducting, and thedesaturation channel 430 opens. The width and doping of the desaturationchannel region 43 is chosen such that the desaturation channel opensbefore the electron current through the IGBT cell(s) switches off, i.e.,while the inversion channel of the IGBT cell(s) is still open. If thep-type doping of the desaturation channel region is small, in particularsmaller than in the other regions of the p-type doped region 40, thewidth of the desaturation channel region may be chosen larger, and ifthe doping of the desaturation channel region is higher the width of thedesaturation channel region can be chosen smaller. FIG. 5 shows thedesaturation channel structure with an open desaturation channel 430 at,e.g., a value of +10 V of the gate-to-source terminal voltage. In thisstate, charge carriers (holes) saturating the drift zone of an IGBT cellmay pass through the desaturation channel as illustrated, e.g., in FIG.3. When the gate voltage is further lowered, the inversion channel ofthe IGBT cell(s) will be blocked, and the (electron) source-draincurrent will stop. After all charge carriers have been removed from thedrift zone, there will also be no desaturation current in the off-stateof the semiconductor device.

FIG. 6 shows a further embodiment of a semiconductor device 101including a desaturation channel structure 4. In this embodiment, thep-type doping of the desaturation channel region 43, shown between thedotted lines in FIG. 6, is lower than the p-type doping of a body region44 and of the outer region 42 of the p-type doped region 40. Thetrenches or trench portions of the desaturation channel structure in thep-type doped region 40 have substantially vertical sidewalls in thisembodiment. They confine a mesa region at least in one lateraldirection, wherein the mesa region includes the body region 44 and thedesaturation channel region 43. The mesa region also includes a portionof the outer region 42 in the embodiment shown in FIG. 6. The bodyregion of a desaturation channel structure is not to be confused withthe body region of an IGBT.

The trenches or trench portions of the desaturation channel structureare shown with a similar geometry than those of the IGBT cell 2.However, the trenches or trench portions of the desaturation channelstructure may generally have a different geometry, e.g., be less deep orbe narrower together than the trenches/trench portions of the IGBTcell(s). Trenches or trench portions with straight, vertical side wallsmay be easier to manufacture, possibly lowering the production time andcost.

The p-type doping of the desaturation channel region 43 is chosen sothat, at the operating voltage (e.g., +15V), the desaturation channelregion 43 is depleted and non-conductive. The doping is chosen so that,a desired voltage value for establishing the desaturation channel (e.g.,+10V), the desaturation channel region is no longer fully depleted, anda conductive desaturation channel is established in the desaturationchannel region.

The desaturation channel structure reduces the switching losses(turn-off losses) and provides several advantages. High minority chargecarrier concentrations can be removed from the drift zone(s) before theIGBT cell(s) switch off, or at least partially removed. Therefore, it ispossible to increase the electron-hole-plasma concentration in theon-state to reduce static losses without overly increasing dynamiclosses during turn-off. This decoupling of static and dynamic lossesimproves the situation of the present-day trade-off between thesequantities.

Moreover, in conventional devices, high hole current densities close tothe gate electrodes of an IGBT cell can exist during turn-off when theholes are conducted from the drift zone to the source electrodeterminal. As the gate electrode potential is still close to thethreshold value of the electron inversion channel of the IGBT cell, thecapacitive coupling of the hole current to the gate electrode couldre-activate the electron inversion channel. This could lead todetrimental oscillations of the semiconductor device. In thesemiconductor device with desaturation channel structure according toembodiments of the present invention, the minority charge carriers(holes) are removed from the drift zone(s) already while the electronchannel of the IGBT cell(s) is still open, and along a path where noelectron channel of an IGBT cell exists. Possibly detrimentaloscillations of the kind described above are avoided or at leastsuppressed.

If the gate electrode resistance is increased to avoid steep flanks ofthe voltage characteristics of the device, this could lead to a delay inremoving the charge carrier concentration in the drift zone inconventional devices and, in suit, to increased switching losses. Thesemiconductor device according to embodiments of the present inventionimproves this situation. Since the charge carriers are already removedwhile the electron channel is still open and no blocking voltage hasdeveloped across the IGBT cell(s), the electron-hole-plasmaconcentration is quickly removed from the drift zone(s), and the delayis reduced or eliminated even for high gate electrode resistances. Theremaining plasma concentration is considerably lower and causesrelatively small switching losses during turn-off.

FIGS. 7 to 12 show top views onto a semiconductor device 100 or 101according to embodiments and illustrate different layouts. Thesemiconductor devices shown in FIGS. 7 to 12 include desaturation cells400 and IGBT cells 200, which both may be identical or similar incross-section to the desaturation channel structure 4 and IGBT cell 2described above. The p-type doped mesa regions of the desaturation cells400 are depicted with a hatching pattern and are connected to the sourceelectrode terminal 28. The trenches or trench portions of thedesaturation cells, more specifically the trench electrodes, areconnected to the gate electrode terminal 27. The n-type doped sourceregions of the IGBT cells 200 are connected to the source electrodeterminal 28, and the gate electrodes in trenches or trench portions areconnected to the gate electrode terminal 27. The first-type dopedregions of the desaturation cells 400 may all be connected or may beseparate regions.

Sections in one exemplarily selected lateral direction are highlightedbetween reference signs A-A and B-B, wherein a cross-section along lineA-A may be represented by FIG. 2 or FIG. 6, and a cross-section alongline B-B may be represented by FIG. 3.

In FIGS. 7 to 10, the IGBT cells and desaturation cells are rectangular.One trench of rectangular form surrounds the body and source regions ofeach IGBT cell and the desaturation channel and mesa regions of eachdesaturation cell, confining them in all lateral directions. Incross-sections through such layouts, e.g. as shown in FIGS. 2, 3 and 6,structures 24 which may appear to be separate trenches in thecross-section are actually two portions of one trench.

FIG. 7 shows a layout where the IGBT cells 200 and desaturation cells400 are alternatingly arranged in rows and columns, wherein each IGBTcell has four next-neighbor desaturation cells arranged around it in thedirections of the rows and columns, and each desaturation cell has fournext-neighbor IGBT cells arranged around it in the directions of therows and columns. FIG. 8 shows a layout where each desaturation cell 400is arranged diagonally between four IGBT cells that are arranged in asquare.

FIGS. 9 and 10 show an active region 120 of a semiconductor device 100containing IGBT cells, a peripheral region 140 containing onlydesaturation cells, and a rim 160, or alternatively a gate pad or gatelead, of the semiconductor device. The higher number of desaturationcells in the peripheral region may allow to even better desaturate thedrift regions of the adjacent IGBT cells. This may be especiallyimportant near the rim or gate pad of the semiconductor device. In FIG.9, the IGBT and desaturation cells in the active region 120 are arrangedsubstantially as in FIG. 7. The rightmost IGBT cells bordering theperipheral region have six desaturation cells for desaturating a chargeconcentration in their drift regions.

In FIG. 10, the active region contains only IGBT cells, but desaturationis provided at the border to the peripheral region 140, each IGBT cellbordering the peripheral region having three desaturation cells fordesaturating a charge concentration in their drift regions. In a layoutas shown in FIG. 10, there may not exist a cross-section as shown inFIG. 3, but only a cross-section as shown in FIG. 2 or 6. Theconnections to the gate and source terminals have been omitted in FIGS.9 and 10. The size and/or the density of the IGBT cells may vary acrossthe layout of the semiconductor device, and so may the size and/ordensity of the desaturation cells.

FIGS. 11 and 12 illustrate layouts of semiconductor device 100 where theIGBT cells 200 and desaturation cells 400 have a stripe geometry. Inthis case, if a cross-section as indicated, e.g., at reference signs A-Aand B-B is taken, the structures 24 in FIGS. 2, 3 and 6 may actually betwo separate trenches. FIG. 11 shows an embodiment where desaturationstripe cells 400 are included in the active region 120 of thesemiconductor device 100 between IGBT stripe cells 200. FIG. 12 shows anembodiment where desaturation cells are only present in the peripheralregion 140, but not in the active region 120.

According to one embodiment, a semiconductor device is provided. Thesemiconductor device includes a first IGBT cell. The semiconductordevice may include many IGBT cells. An IGBT cell as used herein may be avertical IGBT cell such as a trench IGBT cell described hereinabove, butmay also be, e.g., a planar (lateral) IGBT cell. The semiconductordevice may be power semiconductor device. The term “power semiconductordevice” or “power IGBT” intends to describe a device with high voltageand/or high current switching capabilities. In other words, powersemiconductor devices/IGBTs are intended for high current applications,e.g., in the Ampere range or even hundred Ampere range, and/or highvoltage applications, e.g., above 300 V. The IGBT cell(s) may beincluded in an active region of the semiconductor device.

The first IGBT cell includes a second-type doped drift zone. The first,and possibly any other IGBT cell, may be formed in a semiconductor blockor compound of the semiconductor device. The semiconductor block may bemonolithic or consist of semiconductor layers, e.g. including anepitaxial layer or a layer grown by a Chochalski-type process. The IGBTcell may further include the features described, e.g., with respect toFIG. 1.

The semiconductor device includes a desaturation semiconductor structurefor desaturating a charge carrier concentration in the first IGBT cell.The desaturation semiconductor structure may be adapted to remove a freecharge carrier concentration, in particular a minority charge carrierconcentration, from at least from the drift zone of the first IGBT cell,depending upon a controlled state of the desaturation semiconductorstructure as described further below.

The desaturation semiconductor structure includes a first-type dopedregion forming a pn-junction with the second-type doped drift zone ofthe first IGBT cell. The desaturation semiconductor structure furtherincludes a trench structure. The trench structure is arranged in thefirst-type doped region beside the first IGBT cell in a first lateraldirection. The trench structure may extend from a first main surface ofthe semiconductor block into the semiconductor block, e.g., into anepitaxial layer of the semiconductor block.

The trench structure includes two portions of a trench or two trenches.The two trench portions or the two trenches are spaced apart from eachother in the first lateral direction. They delimit or confine a spacebetween them at least in this particular first lateral direction. Thetwo trenches or the two trench portions may extend parallel to eachother—at least for a certain distance—in a direction different from thefirst lateral direction, e.g., in a direction perpendicular thereto. Thelatter may be referred to as a longitudinal direction, in particular forstripe-like trench structures with two separate trenches. The trenchhaving the two trench portions may have a square, rectangular orpolygonal form or even oval or circular form in a top view on the firstmain surface.

Each of the two trench portions or each of the two trenches may includea wide part and a narrow part. The wide part is located below the narrowpart. Trenches with this property are referred to as bottleneck trenchesherein. The form of such trenches has many variations, including, e.g.,the bulgy form shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 with a round or oval widening atthe bottom, but also including, e.g., trenches with straight side wallsthat slant outward so that the trench is wider towards its bottom ortrenches with rectangular widened parts. The wide part may be a bottompart of the trench or trench portion. Alternatively, the trench mayextend further, having a bottom below the wide part. The narrow part maybe a top part of the trench or trench portion.

Alternatively, at least one of the two trench portions or of the twotrenches, typically both, may have a substantially constant width. Theside walls of at least one of the two trenches/two trench portions maybe substantially straight. The side walls may be vertical, but couldalso be tilted, i.e., form an angle different from 90° with respect tothe first main surface.

The wide parts of the two trench portions or of the two trenchesconfine/delimit a first-type doped desaturation channel region of thefirst-type doped region at least in the first lateral direction. Thenarrow parts of the two trench portions or of the two trenches confine afirst-type doped mesa region of the first-type doped region at least inthe first lateral direction. In other words, the space confined by thetwo trenches or by the two trench portions includes the mesa region andthe desaturation channel region.

Alternatively or additionally, the first-type doped desaturation channelregion may be a region confined/delimited by the two trenches/trenchportions and having a first-type doping lower than the adjoining regionsof the first-type doped region, namely the mesa or body region and theouter region. The desaturation channel region may be characterized inthis way even when confined/delimited by trenches or trench portionshaving a constant width or parallel side surfaces.

The space confined/delimited by the two trenches or trench portions mayconsist of the first-type doped mesa and desaturation channel regions.In embodiments with trenches having constant width, in particularvertical trenches with straight, parallel sidewalls, the entire spaceconfined/delimited by the two trenches or trench portions is called“mesa region” herein, and the desaturation channel region is considereda part thereof. The first-type doped mesa region may constitute oroccupy the entire space above the desaturation channel region that isconfined in the first lateral direction by the two trenches or trenchportions. This may be the entire space confined by narrow parts of thetwo trench portions or the two trenches. There may be no second-typedoped region confined between the two trenches or trench portions. Asecond-type doped region may be present, but is not necessary for thefunctioning of the device. The mesa region and the desaturation channelregion may be confined/delimited by a single trench including the twotrench portions in more than the first lateral direction. In this case,the trench that includes the two trench portions may include furtherportions and may confine the mesa region and the desaturation channelregion in all lateral directions, i.e., it may laterally surround saidregions.

The desaturation channel region may have a width smaller than the mesaregion at least in the first lateral direction. The desaturation channelregion may have a width smaller than the mesa region also in at leastone other lateral direction, e.g., in a (longitudinal) directionperpendicular to the first lateral direction. Additionally oralternatively, the desaturation channel region may have a first-typedoping that is lower than the first-type doping of the mesa region.

The desaturation channel region and the mesa region adjoin each other.The desaturation channel region may also adjoin an outer region of thefirst-type doped region, the outer region extending laterally and/orvertically outward of the trench structure. The outer region may form apn-junction with the drift region of the first IGBT cell.

The semiconductor device may include a source electrode terminalconnected to a source region of the IGBT cell, a gate electrode terminalconnected to a gate electrode of the IGBT cell, and a conductivesemiconductor material in the two trench portions or in the twotrenches, wherein the first-type doped mesa region is connected to thefirst electrode terminal, and the conductive semiconductor material inthe two trench portions or in the two trenches is connected to the gateelectrode terminal. The semiconductor material in the two trenches or inthe two trench portions may be referred to as trench electrode(s). Inthis embodiment, the desaturation channel in the desaturation region iscontrolled by the voltage value applied to the gate electrode terminal.The mesa region and the trench electrode(s) might also be connected toterminals different from the source/gate terminals of the IGBT cells,possibly adding more flexibility of an independent control, butincreasing the complexity.

The first-type doping of the desaturation channel region may be lowerthan the first-type doping of the mesa region and/or lower than thefirst-type doping of the outer region of the first-type doped region.

The desaturation channel structure or several of them may be arranged ina peripheral region of the semiconductor device that borders an activeregion including the IGBT cell(s). The desaturation channel structure orseveral of them may be arranged in the active region of thesemiconductor device, the active region being the region including theIGBT cell(s). The semiconductor device may include a second IGBT cell,wherein the desaturation semiconductor structure is arranged between thefirst IGBT cell and the second IGBT cell. The first-type doped regionmay extend at least between the first IGBT cell and the second IGBTcell. The first-type doped region may form a pn-junction also with thedrift zone of the second IGBT cell. The desaturation semiconductorstructure may be adapted for desaturating charge carrier concentrationsin the drift regions of the first and second IGBT cells.

The conductive semiconductor material in the two trench portions or inthe two trenches—the trench electrode(s)—may be separated from the mesaregion, from the desaturation region and/or from the outer region of thefirst-type doped region. The separation may be in the form of an oxidelayer, e.g., similar to a gate oxide layer. The trench electrode(s) maybe formed of a highly doped semiconductor material such as polysilicon,which partly or fully fills the trenches/trench portions. Alternatively,the separation may be in the form of a second-type doped layer, similaras in a JFET structure. By choosing appropriate doping relations betweenthe regions of first-type and second-type doping a possibly latch-up canbe avoided.

As explained before there is an interrelation between the width and thedoping concentration of the desaturation channel region for tailoringcontrol of the activation and de-activation of the desaturation channelat the right moment during the turn-off process of the IGBT cell(s). Thewidth of the desaturation channel may be determined by the wide parts ofthe trenches or trench portions which laterally delimit the channel atleast in one lateral direction. In this direction, the wider parts maybe at least 20%, or even at least 50% wider than the narrow parts of thetwo trench portions or of the two trenches, e.g., from 20% to 100%.Conversely, the desaturation channel region may be 50%, or 100% or evenat least 200% narrower than the mesa region. Additionally oralternatively, the first-type doping in the desaturation channel regionmay be at least 50%, or 100%, or even at least 300% smaller than thefirst-type doping in the mesa region and/or in the outer region, e.g.,from 50% to 500%. A laterally integrated dose of the first-type dopingover the width of the desaturation channel region may be less than 10¹¹cm⁻² or even less than 3*10¹⁰ cm⁻².

By appropriate dimensioning of the distance between the wide parts ofthe trenches or trench portions, e.g., of the bulgy parts shown in FIGS.2 and 3, and/or by appropriate choice of the doping concentration in thedesaturation channel region (see FIG. 6 for illustration) the instant oftime during the switching process where free charge carriers can beguided through the desaturation channel can be defined and set. Theturn-off losses can be reduced without increasing the static losses inthe on-state.

The threshold voltage value below which the channel becomes conductingcan be chosen above the value of the miller plateau voltage. Thedesaturation channel region can have a threshold voltage forswitching-off a conductive path through the desaturation channel region.The IGBT cell can have a threshold voltage for providing an inversionchannel. The absolute value of the threshold voltage for switching-offthe conductive path through the desaturation channel region may behigher than the absolute value of the threshold voltage for providing aninversion channel of the IGBT cell.

According to another embodiment, a method of operating a semiconductordevice is provided. The semiconductor device includes a first electrodeterminal, a second electrode terminal, a gate electrode terminal, and afirst IGBT cell including a gate electrode, a first electrode, a secondelectrode and a drift region. The gate electrode is connected to thegate electrode terminal, the first electrode is connected to the firstelectrode terminal, and the second electrode is connected to the secondelectrode terminal. The semiconductor device further includes adesaturation semiconductor structure including a desaturation channel. Afirst portion of the desaturation semiconductor structure is connectedto the first electrode terminal. A second portion of the desaturationsemiconductor structure is connected to the gate electrode terminal forcontrolling the desaturation channel. The semiconductor device may be asemiconductor device according to any of the embodiments describedherein.

The method includes applying a gate voltage with a first value to thegate electrode terminal so that a current flows through the first IGBTcell between the first electrode terminal and the second electrodeterminal and so that a current flow through the desaturation channel issubstantially blocked. The term “substantially blocked” includes thesituation that desaturation channel is completely blocked, i.e., thedesaturation channel is completely choked off. The term “substantiallyblocked” also includes the situations that the current flow issignificantly reduced. The desaturation channel is said to besubstantially blocked if the current flow through the desaturationchannel is reduced by at least 50%, or at least 80% or even at least 90or 99% as compared to desaturating current that flows when the secondvalue of the gate voltage is applied to the gate electrode terminal. Inthese cases, the desaturation channel may not be completely choked off.The first value may represent the operating voltage of the semiconductordevice. The first value may be, e.g., between +12 V and +20 Volts, e.g.,about +15 V.

The method further includes applying the gate voltage with a secondvalue to the gate electrode terminal. The second value may be appliedtransiently during switching off of the device. The absolute value ofthe second value is lower than the absolute value of the first value.The second value may be, e.g., between +8V and +12V Volts, e.g., about+10 V. When applying the gate voltage with the second value a currentflows through the first IGBT cell between the first electrode terminaland the second electrode terminal and charge carriers flow, as adesaturating current, from the drift region of the first IGBT cellthrough the desaturation channel of the desaturation semiconductorstructure to the first electrode terminal.

The method may further include applying the gate voltage with a thirdvalue to the gate electrode terminal. The absolute value of the thirdvalue is lower than the respective absolute values of the first andsecond values. When applying the gate voltage with the third value, acurrent flow through the first IGBT cell between the first electrodeterminal and the second electrode terminal is substantially blocked. Thethird value may represent a blocking voltage of the semiconductordevice. The third value may be below +3V, e.g., about zero Volts, or maybe a negative voltage value, i.e., even a negative voltage can beapplied.

As explained above, one quantity through which the exact instant in timecan be determined when the desaturation channel opens during switchingoff of the semiconductor device is the width of the desaturation channelregion. Accordingly, for such embodiments, it is desirable to form theconfining wide parts of the trenches or trench portions of thedesaturation channel structure with low manufacturing tolerances.

The wide parts below the narrow parts may be formed by anisotropicetching to form a normal trench with vertical side walls, followed byisotropic etching at the bottom of the trench to from an undercut. Themanufacturing tolerances might not be sufficient with this technique,and a need for improvement exists.

A method of forming a bottleneck-type trench structure of asemiconductor device according to an embodiment is provided. The term“bottleneck-type” refers to any trench or trench structure wherein thetrench has a wide part and a narrow part, the wide part being below thenarrow part, i.e., the wide part is at a position deeper in the trenchthan the narrow part. Trenches of bottleneck type include, e.g.,trenches having a wide cavity as their bottom part, e.g., a cavity withcircular, oval, or rectangular cross-section, and a narrower tunnelleading to that cavity from the surface of semiconductor layer or block.The trenches of bottleneck type also include, e.g., trenches withstraight side walls slanting outward towards the bottom, or any otherform of undercut.

FIGS. 13 to 18 show an exemplary manufacturing process of abottleneck-type trench structure. The trench structure may bemanufactured for the desaturation channel structure, for example, forthe structure shown in FIG. 2. The manufacturing process described inthe following may be applied to any kind of a trench structure. Thedescribed process may also be applied to the manufacturing of mesa-IGBTor any other kind of IGBT.

FIGS. 13-18 show an example of manufacturing a trench structure having awider or bulgy bottom part. Trenches are formed into a semiconductorblock including silicon material. The trenches may be formed using anyof the conventional trench-etching processes. Such a process may, forexample, include forming a mask, such as a hard mask or photo mask, ontothe surface of a semiconductor block. In order to form the mask, by wayof example, a photoresist is deposited over the whole surface of thesemiconductor block and is suitably patterned using photolithography,wherein openings that define the position of the later trenches areformed into the photoresist.

Using the patterned mask the trenches are formed into the semiconductorblock by an etching process as illustrated in FIG. 13. The etching maybe applied selectively with respect to the patterned mask and istypically embodied as anisotropic etching in the form of dry or wetetching, such that trenches having substantially vertical side wallsarise.

The trench structure obtained after the trench-etching process isdepicted in FIG. 13. In detail, FIG. 13 shows a cross-section of aportion of a semiconductor device with a semiconductor block 10, such asshown in FIGS. 2-3. The above described patterned mask 6 with openings 7for the trenches is shown on a first surface 11 of the semiconductorblock 10. The trenches or trench portions 5 extend from the firstsurface 11 and have lateral sides 51 and a bottom side 52. The width ofthe trenches or trench portions 5 is substantially constant along theirvertical extension.

The shown cross-sections of the trenches or trench portions 5 may formpart of either two trenches, for example in a stripe-type IGBT cell asshown in FIG. 11 or 12, or one trench if this trench has, for instance,a rectangular or possibly polygonal, oval or circular layout in a topview on the first main surface 11 as shown, e.g., in FIGS. 7 to 10.

In FIG. 14, the completed trenches or trench portions 5 are set up forforming the bulgy bottom parts of the bottleneck-type trench structure.Phosphorus is introduced as a dopant 9 into the bottom side 52 of thetrenches or trench portions 5 using the patterned mask 6, as illustratedin FIG. 14. Phosphorus 9 is preferably introduced using ion implantationtechniques. Alternatively, phosphorus 9 can also be introduced by meansof a mask diffusion furnace process using liquid or solid sources. Thediffusion mask deposited on the side walls of the trenches can be, e.g.,a silicon nitride layer.

The dose of the implanted dopant determines the characteristic anddimension of the later bulgy bottom parts. In FIG. 14, phosphorus isexclusively introduced into the bottom side 52 of the trenches or trenchportions 5.

The mask 6 originally provided for the etching of the trenches or trenchportions 5 accordingly serves as an implantation mask in FIG. 14, suchthat phosphorus 9 is only introduced into the bottoms side 52 of thetrenches or trench portions 5.

A first thermal process, typically a high-temperature thermal process,is carried out. The thermal process initiates a diffusion process of thephosphorus implanted in the bottom side of the trenches or trenchportions as illustrated in FIG. 15.

Before carrying out the thermal process the patterned mask 6 may beremoved selectively with respect to the first surface 11 of thesemiconductor block 10, for example, by means of wet-chemical etching.

FIG. 15 shows the diffusion region 92 in which the implanted phosphorous91 penetrates once the diffusion process is initiated by the firstthermal process. The diffusion region 92 starts growing from the bottomside 52 of the trenches or trench portions 5 where the phosphorous 9 wasoriginally implanted. The implanted dopant 91 diffuses into the depth ofthe semiconductor block 10 forming a bulgy or an approximatelyapple-shaped diffusion region 92 around the bottom side 52 of thetrenches or trench portions 5.

The vertical and lateral dimensions of the diffusion region 92 may becontrolled by the dose of the implanted dopant and the parameters of thefirst thermal process, such as temperature and duration. The higher theimplanted dose of dopant, the greater the vertical and lateral extent ofthe diffusion region 92. The longer the duration of the thermal process,the greater the vertical and lateral extent of the diffusion region 92.

In suit, in the manufacturing of the bulgy bottom parts of thebottleneck-type trench structure, material from the region defined bythe thermal diffusion process will be removed, namely from the diffusionregion.

Before removing the material from the diffusion region, the diffusionregion is oxidized. The oxidation of the diffusion region is carried outin a second thermal process. The temperature range of the second thermalprocess is chosen depending on the oxidation process. The oxidationprocess may be a dry oxidation process. Preferably a wet oxidationprocess is carried out.

The oxidation rate of the above described oxidation processes depends onthe dopant concentration present in the diffusion region 92. The higherthe dose of the dopant, the higher the dopant concentration in thediffusion region and therefore the higher the oxidation rate. Due to thedifferent dopant concentrations in the lateral sides 51 and the bottom52 of the trenches or trench portions 5 the oxidation process isselective and the oxidation rate is dependent on the dopantconcentration.

FIG. 16 illustrates the trenches or trench portions 5 after an oxidationprocess as described above. An oxidation region 94 is formed in thelateral sides 51 and the bulgy region 93. The bulgy region 93 is definedby the preceding diffusion process and substantially matches thediffusion region 92 in FIG. 15.

Since there is substantially no dopant implanted in the lateral sides 51of the trenches or trench portions 5 in this embodiment the oxidationrate in the lateral sides 51 is low and the lateral dimension of theoxidation region 94 in the lateral sides 51 is small. The dopantconcentration in the bulgy region 93 is much higher than the dopantconcentration in the lateral sides 51. As a result, substantially thewhole bulgy region 93 is oxidized.

Removing the material of the oxidation region 94 is effected by means ofa selective etching process. The etching process may be carried out bydry etching. Preferably, a wet etching process is carried out to formthe bulgy bottom parts. The etching may be affected in a time-controlledmanner. The etching may be carried out for a predetermined etching time.

FIG. 17 shows the trenches or trench portions 5 obtained after the abovedescribed etching process. An upper part 510 and a bulgy bottom part 520form part of the trenches or trench structures 5. The bulgy bottom part520 is wider than the upper part 510 in a lateral direction 8 and isarranged below the upper part 510. The two bulgy bottom parts 520 of therespective trenches or trench portions 5 may confine or delimit achannel region 9 of a semiconductor device in the lateral direction 8,e.g., a desaturation channel region as described herein. The upper part510 may also be referred to as a bottleneck.

For insulating the completed trenches or trench portions 5 with bulgybottom parts an oxide layer is formed. FIG. 18 shows the trenches ortrench portions 5 with an oxide layer 17 lining the upper parts 510 andthe bulgy bottom parts 520. The trenches or trench portions 5 maysubsequently be filled with a conductive material 18, for examplepolysilicon. As a result, the oxide layer 17 provides insulation betweenthe conductive material 18 inside the trenches or trench portions 5 andthe semiconductor block 10 and the channel region 9, respectively.

According to a further embodiment, a method of forming a bottleneck-typetrench structure of a semiconductor device is provided. The trenchstructure may be the trench structure of a desaturation channelstructure or desaturation cell according to embodiments describedherein. The trench structure may alternatively be the trench structureof a mesa-IGBT with Partially Narrow Mesa (PNM), or may be any othertrench structure of some semiconductor device.

The method includes forming a trench in a semiconductor layer of thesemiconductor device. The term “semiconductor layer” shall include thenotion of a multi-layer including two or more sublayers, wherein thetrench may penetrate into one, two or more of the sublayers. Thesemiconductor layer may be silicon-containing semiconductor layer, e.g.,an epitaxially grown silicon layer, which may have been dopedappropriately. The semiconductor layer may have a first-type doping. Thesemiconductor layer may be the first-type doped region of a desaturationchannel structure according to embodiments described herein.

The trench has lateral sides and a bottom side. The trench may be formedwith substantially vertical side walls. The trench may be formed in thefirst main surface of the semiconductor device, i.e., into its frontsurface. Conventional techniques may be used, e.g., forming a patternedtrench etch mask and anisotropically etching the semiconductor layerusing the patterned trench etch mask.

The method includes introducing a dopant into the bottom side. Thedopant may be an n-type dopant such as phosphorus, but may also bearsenic and/or antimony, or p-type dopants such as boron and gallium, ormay be any combination of the aforementioned. The implantation dose canlie in a range of 10¹⁴ cm⁻² to 10¹⁷ cm⁻² such as about 10¹⁵ cm⁻². Thedopant may be introduced exclusively into the bottom side of the trench.Alternatively, the dopant may be introduced in a bottom part of thetrench. The dopant may be introduced into sections of the side wall thatare not topmost sections. The dopant may be introduced by implantation.The trench etch mask may be used for introducing the dopant, inparticular for implanting the dopant. Alternatively, an implantationmask different from the trench etch mask may be used.

The dopant may be introduced by means of a masked diffusion furnaceprocess using liquid or solid sources. In the case of phosphorus, thiscan be affected for example on the basis of POCl₃. Introducing thedopant may include tilting the semiconductor layer. This may improve theaccuracy of the introduction of the dopant into selected sections of thetrench sides.

The trench etch mask or implantation mask is subsequently removed, forexample by means of wet-chemical etching. Buffered HF acid may be usedfor selective etching. In this case, the etching can be carried out in atime-controlled manner, i.e., by an etching with a predetermined etchingtime or with end point control.

The method further includes heating the semiconductor device fordiffusing the dopant into a diffusion region. The diffusion region mayhave its center at the bottom of the trench where the dopant wasintroduced. Heating may be carried out for a heating time period in therange of from 60 min to 600 min, e.g., in a range of from 120 min to 140min. The heating temperature may be in a range of from 800° C. to 1300°C., e.g., in a range of from 900° C. to 1100° C. The size of thediffusion region may be controlled by the implanted dose of the dopantand the parameters of the heating process. Several heating processes maybe carried out.

The method further includes selectively etching the diffusion region toform the bottleneck-type trench structure. The selective etching may beaccompanied by oxidizing the diffusion region. According to a firstalternative, this oxidation may take place prior to selectively etchingthe (oxidized) diffusion region. According to a second alternative, theoxidation may take place during the selective etching process, i.e., acombined oxidizing and selective etching process may be carried out.

In the first alternative, the method may include oxidizing the diffusionregion, and subsequently selectively etching the oxidized diffusionregion. Oxidizing the diffusion region may be wet-chemical oxidizing.Wet-chemical oxidization provides fast oxidization. The oxidization ofthe diffusion region can be faster than the oxidization of other partsof the trench. For instance, when using phosphorus as a dopant in asilicon-containing semiconductor layer, the oxidation rate of siliconwith high phosphorus doping concentrations is greatly increased ascompared to regions of the silicon-containing layer without phosphorus.The oxidization process may be a time-controlled oxidization process.

In the second alternative of selective etching, selectively etching thediffusion region may include selectively etching the diffusion region inan acid etching solution. The acid etching solution may include anoxidizing component. The oxidizing component may be adapted toselectively, i.e., primarily, oxidize the diffusion region containingthe dopant. The acid solution may further include a removing componentadapted to selectively etch the material oxidized by the oxidizingcomponent. For instance, the acid solution may include or consist ofHNO₃ and HF.

By controlling the etching rate through the concentration of the dopant,e.g., phosphorus, variations in the dimensions of a trench structure canbe reduced as compared to anisotropic etching. Further, the variance inthe distribution of the dimensions of trench structures across a waferor chip can be kept small in contrast to a processing by anisotropicetching.

In both alternatives, the overall process of selectively etching may betime-controlled. Alternatively or additionally, the process ofselectively etching may be controlled by detecting a detection materialwhile selectively etching the diffusion region. The detection materialmay be freed during the etching process. The freed detection materialmay be a gas. The detection may take place in a dummy trench differentfrom the trench described hereinbefore. The detection material may havebeen introduced into the dummy trench at a specific place, e.g., intoits sidewalls or into a side wall oxide, such that, when the detectionmaterial is detected, this will indicate that the selective etchingprocess has progressed to this place and will indicate that theselective etching process shall be terminated.

The method may include forming a dummy trench in the semiconductorlayer. The dummy trench may be formed parallel to the trench(es) of adesaturation channel structure according to embodiments describedherein. The dummy trench may be formed outside of the desaturationchannel structure, i.e., spatially separated from the desaturationchannel structure. The dummy trench may be formed in an active region ofa semiconductor device. In this case, one or more dummy trenches may beseen in cross-sections such as those shown in FIGS. 2 and 3.Alternatively, the dummy trench may be formed in a peripheral region ofthe semiconductor device, where no active IGBT cells are present. Thepresence of such dummy trenches can be an indicator that the method offorming a trench structure according to embodiments described herein hasbeen performed.

The dummy trench has lateral sides and a bottom side. The method mayinclude introducing the detection material into the lateral sides and/orinto the bottom side of the dummy trench. The method may includeintroducing the dopant into the bottom side of the dummy trench, heatingthe semiconductor device for diffusing the dopant into a diffusionregion of the dummy trench, and selectively etching the diffusion regionof the dummy trench. The introduction of the dopant, the heating and theselective etching process may be the same as those described herein forforming a desaturation channel structure. They may take placesimultaneously. The dummy trench may be different from trench(es) of thedesaturation channel structure, e.g., the dummy trench may be aconventional, straight-walled trench instead of a bottleneck-typetrench. Forming the dummy trench need not use dopant introduction,and/or oxidation of a diffusion region. The method may include detectinga detection material while selectively etching the dummy trench, e.g.,its diffusion region. The method may include stopping the selectiveetching of the diffusion region of the trench when the detectionmaterial is detected.

The method may include closing off the trench, e.g., at its top. AVenecia-process may be used for this purpose. This may improveencapsulation of the detection material during processing thesemiconductor device, and may improve the detectability of the detectionmaterial. The quality and accuracy of the detection and hence of thecontrol of the process may be improved. According to furtherembodiments, the method of forming a bottleneck-type trench structure ofa semiconductor device may include oxidizing all sides of thebottleneck-type trench structure for providing an oxide layer, andfilling the bottleneck-type trench structure at least partly with aconductive semiconductor material, e.g., highly doped polysilicon.Therein, the oxide layer may provide insulation between the conductivesemiconductor material in the bottleneck-type trench structure and thesemiconductor layer. Alternatively, the method may include doping allsides of the bottleneck-type trench structure for providing a separationlayer, and filling the bottleneck-type trench structure at least partlywith a conductive semiconductor material, such as polysilicon. Therein,the semiconductor layer has a first-type doping and the separation layerhas a second-type doping for providing a separation between theconductive semiconductor material in the bottleneck-type trenchstructure and the semiconductor layer.

The method of forming a bottleneck-type structure may be part of amethod of forming a desaturation channel structure. Forming adesaturation channel structure may include all processes needed to forma semiconductor device according to embodiments described herein.

Alternatively, the method of forming a bottleneck structure may, e.g.,be part of a method of forming a self-constricting n-channel, e.g., forpeak current-safe diodes. Therein, the semiconductor layer is n-typedoped. The separation layer may be p++-doped, e.g., by diborane dopingfrom a gas phase or by PLAD implantation.

Although specific features of various embodiments of the invention maybe shown in some drawings and not in others, this is for convenienceonly. In accordance with the principles of the invention, any feature ofa drawing may be referenced and/or claimed in combination with anyfeature of any other drawing.

Spatially relative terms such as “under”, “below”, “lower”, “over”,“upper” and the like, are used for ease of description to explain thepositioning of one element relative to a second element. These terms areintended to encompass different orientations of the device in additionto different orientations than those depicted in the figures. Further,terms such as “first”, “second”, and the like, are also used to describevarious elements, regions, sections, zones etc. and are also notintended to be limiting. Like terms refer to like elements throughoutthe description.

As used herein, the terms “having”, “containing”, “including”,“comprising” and the like are open ended terms that indicate thepresence of stated elements or features, but do not preclude additionalelements or features. The articles “a”, “an” and “the” are intended toinclude the plural as well as the singular, unless the context clearlyindicates otherwise.

With the above range of variations and applications in mind, it shouldbe understood that the present invention is not limited by the foregoingdescription, nor is it limited by the accompanying drawings. Instead,the present invention is limited only by the following claims and theirlegal equivalents.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method of operating a semiconductor devicewhich comprises an IGBT comprising a first electrode terminal, a secondelectrode terminal, a gate electrode terminal, and a desaturationsemiconductor structure comprising a desaturation channel, thedesaturation semiconductor structure being connected to the firstelectrode terminal and the gate electrode terminal for controlling thedesaturation channel, the method comprising: applying a first gatevoltage to the gate electrode terminal so that current flows through theIGBT between the first electrode terminal and the second electrodeterminal and so that current flow through the desaturation channel issubstantially blocked; applying a second gate voltage different than thefirst gate voltage to the gate electrode terminal so that current flowsthrough the IGBT between the first electrode terminal and the secondelectrode terminal and so that charge carriers flow as a desaturatingcurrent through the desaturation channel of the desaturationsemiconductor structure to the first electrode terminal; and applying athird gate voltage different than the first and second gate voltages tothe gate electrode terminal so that current flow through the IGBTbetween the first electrode terminal and the second electrode terminalis substantially blocked, wherein the semiconductor device furthercomprises a first IGBT cell including a gate electrode, a firstelectrode, a second electrode and a drift region, the gate electrodebeing connected to the gate electrode terminal, the first electrodebeing connected to the first electrode terminal, and the secondelectrode being connected to the second electrode terminal, wherein whenthe first or second gate voltage is applied to the gate electrodeterminal, current flows through the first IGBT cell between the firstelectrode terminal and the second electrode terminal.
 2. The method ofclaim 1, wherein a first portion of the desaturation semiconductorstructure is connected to the first electrode terminal and a secondportion of the desaturation semiconductor structure is connected to thegate electrode terminal for controlling the desaturation channel.
 3. Themethod of claim 1, wherein when the second gate voltage is applied tothe gate electrode terminal, charge carriers flow as the desaturatingcurrent from the drift region of the first IGBT cell through thedesaturation channel of the desaturation semiconductor structure to thefirst electrode terminal.
 4. The method of claim 1, wherein the driftregion of the first IGBT cell is second-type doped, wherein thedesaturation semiconductor structure comprises: a first-type dopedregion forming a pn-junction with the second-type doped drift region ofthe first IGBT cell; and two portions of a trench or two trenchesarranged in the first-type doped region and arranged beside the firstIGBT cell in a lateral direction, each of the two trench portions oreach of the two trenches confining a first-type doped desaturationchannel region of the first-type doped region at least in the lateraldirection and a first-type doped mesa region of the first-type dopedregion at least in the lateral direction, wherein the desaturationchannel region and the mesa region adjoin each other.
 5. The method ofclaim 4, wherein the semiconductor device further comprises a conductivesemiconductor material in the two trench portions or in the twotrenches, wherein the first-type doped mesa region is the first portionconnected to the first electrode terminal, and wherein the conductivesemiconductor material is the second portion connected to the gateelectrode terminal.
 6. The method of claim 4, wherein an outer region ofthe first-type doped region outside of the two trench portions or of thetwo trenches adjoins the desaturation channel region, and wherein thefirst-type doping of the desaturation channel region is lower than atleast one of the first-type doping of the mesa region and the first-typedoping of the outer region.
 7. The method of claim 4, wherein thefirst-type doped mesa region constitutes the entire space confined inthe lateral direction by narrow parts of the two trench portions or thetwo trenches.
 8. The method of claim 4, wherein the semiconductor devicefurther comprises a second IGBT cell, and wherein the desaturationsemiconductor structure is arranged between the first IGBT cell and thesecond IGBT cell, the first-type doped region extends at least betweenthe first IGBT cell and the second IGBT cell, and the desaturationsemiconductor structure is configured to desaturate charge carrierconcentrations in drift regions of the first and second IGBT cells. 9.The method of claim 4, wherein a conductive semiconductor material inthe two trench portions or in the two trenches is separated by an oxidelayer and/or by a second-type doped layer from the mesa region, from thedesaturation region and from an outer region of the first-type dopedregion, the outer region being located outside of the two trenchportions or of the two trenches and adjoining the desaturation channelregion.
 10. The method of claim 4, wherein wide parts of the two trenchportions or the two trenches are at least 20% wider than narrow parts ofthe two trench portions or of the two trenches.
 11. The method of claim4, wherein the first-type doping is a p-type doping.
 12. The method ofclaim 4, wherein the first-type doping in the desaturation channelregion is at least 50% smaller than the first-type doping in the mesaregion.
 13. The method of claim 4, wherein the first-type doping in thedesaturation channel region is at least 50% smaller than the first-typedoping in an outer region of the first-type doped region, and whereinthe outer region is located outside of the two trench portions or of thetwo trenches and adjoins the desaturation channel region.
 14. The methodof claim 4, wherein the desaturation channel region is at least 50%narrower than the mesa region.
 15. The method of claim 1, wherein thedesaturation channel region has a threshold voltage for switching-off aconductive path through the desaturation channel region, and the firstIGBT cell has a threshold voltage for providing an inversion channel,and wherein an absolute value of the threshold voltage for switching-offthe conductive path through the desaturation channel region is higherthan an absolute value of the threshold for providing an inversionchannel of the IGBT cell.
 16. The method of claim 1, wherein thesemiconductor device is a power semiconductor device.
 17. The method ofclaim 1, wherein the drift region of the first IGBT cell is second-typedoped, wherein the desaturation semiconductor structure comprises: afirst-type doped region forming a pn-junction with the drift zone andtwo trenches arranged in the first-type doped region and arranged besidethe first IGBT cell in a lateral direction, wherein the two trenchesconfine a mesa region comprising a first-type doped desaturation channelregion and a first-type doped body region at least in the lateraldirection, wherein the desaturation channel region and the body regionadjoin each other, and wherein the desaturation channel region is adepletable region.
 18. The method of claim 17, wherein the first-typedoping of the desaturation channel region is lower than the first-typedoping of the body region.
 19. The method of claim 17, wherein thedesaturation channel region is arranged below the body region.
 20. Themethod of claim 17, wherein the first-type doped mesa region isconnected to the first electrode terminal, and wherein conductivematerial in the two trenches is connected to the gate electrodeterminal.